HomePod New to Homepod, Likes and Dislikes

[gigaguy]

I got two Hopods (heavy discount) and using them so far without an Apple Music account or Apple Match sub.
I like the design. I'd give 85-95% sound rating with 2 speaker stereo, 80% for 1 speaker. Mac audio - < 20%.
I like how well Siri can hear you with music on, amazing.
I like the playback from my iPhone iTunes music (no Siri search support).
I like the repeat and varied speed play (for News and podcasts) and the music commands Siri will do.
I would prefer a wired option, not only wireless. (but never gonna happen at Apple)

My use without an Apple Music account or Apple Match sub -
'Purchased' music (in Apple cloud) works well with full Siri support, but can I have an interactive list of Purchased songs as they play? You can't make playlists in the Purchased playlist folder. You can only choose Purchased music via Siri with song name, artist, or album name. I do like News, Beats Radio 1 and podcasts access.

Lag, lag, lag .. .Do not like the lag with ALL audio from Mac, especially for video, youtube, and Final Cut.
Do not like Siri lag and having to repeat Hey Siri everytime.
Do not like the glitchy and non-stereo Mac audio output, (I'm reading that Mojave may not fix this).

If I can't use these lag-free and in stereo for all Mac output sources, I may sell them. I know they are geared for added Apple Services purchases but I want full Mac integration. I got them for less than half price, not worth full price in current use to me. I think Apple should add more functions or a lower price option to sell these.

With an Apple Match subscription, are search and play functions to your music in the Cloud the same that Apple Music offers (without access to streaming music at Apple, of course) ??
Also why is this the only Apple product without it's own forum here?

 

[OptyCT]

May I ask how you were able to get the Homepod at a heavy discount? If you don't care to respond via the message board, please PM me.

 

[tromboneaholic]

I can see and connect to 2 HomePods as a stereo pair in iTunes on the Mac, but that's it from the Mac.

 

[gigaguy]

Are you on Mojave? If Mac iTunes outputs in stereo then I need to update to Mojave.
I didn't mention, but I think the speakers have too much bass. I have moved them away from walls. I know the modern fashion is bass heavy. I sell electronics and the top models of Beats/Bose/Sony headsets all feature this same sound, with less midrange. Homepod sounds the same if not more booming bass. Also current pop music production (and most hip-hop) is also mixed this way. I wish we could tune the Homepods. I'm still experimenting with these, maybe I will find the sweet spot.

 

[tromboneaholic]

Are you on Mojave? If Mac iTunes outputs in stereo then I need to update to Mojave.
I didn't mention, but I think the speakers have too much bass. I have moved them away from walls. I know the modern fashion is bass heavy. I sell electronics and the top models of Beats/Bose/Sony headsets all feature this same sound, with less midrange. Homepod sounds the same if not more booming bass. Also current pop music production (and most hip-hop) is also mixed this way. I wish we could tune the Homepods. I'm still experimenting with these, maybe I will find the sweet spot.

High Sierra

 

[gigaguy]

I'm on High Sierra and only get one or the other Homepods to play from Mac iTunes. You are the only person I've seen who can get stereo off the Mac to Homepods. Lots of threads here and elsewhere about it. Anything special you did?

 

[tromboneaholic]

I'm on High Sierra and only get one or the other Homepods to play from Mac iTunes. You are the only person I've seen who can get stereo off the Mac to Homepods. Lots of threads here and elsewhere about it. Anything special you did?

I paired them using my iPhone. You have to select them from airplay in iTunes itself, not as an output device in system preferences.

 

[gigaguy]

After the phone playback, then you can totally control stereo playback with the Mac iTunes account? I didn't know that.
--My phone is playing to stereo Homepods as it always does. So how do you switch control to the Mac iTunes. Looks to me like my phone and Mac do not interact in the way yours does.

 

[tromboneaholic]

After the phone playback, then you can totally control stereo playback with the Mac iTunes account? I didn't know that.
--My phone is playing to stereo Homepods as it always does. So how do you switch control to the Mac iTunes. Looks to me like my phone and Mac do not interact in the way yours does.

I just mean that I created the stereo pair using the Home app. I don’t know that a stereo pair can be created without an iOS device.

Once that’s done, from within iTunes on my Mac, to the right of the volume slider in iTunes there is the airplay icon. Selecting that brings up ny Apple TVs and the AirPod stereo pair which I can select.

Are you seeing something else?

 

[gigaguy]

Yes I do all that and playback switches to 1 speaker when Airplay on the Mac iTunes is used to select the Homepods.

 

[tromboneaholic]

Yes I do all that and playback switches to 1 speaker when Airplay on the Mac iTunes is used to select the Homepods.

I’m getting stereo output, from both speakers.

You may have already tried this, but unplugging them both and then plugging them back in has fixed weird glitches in the past for me.